CM Vijay launches expanded breakfast scheme as schoolbag search sparks row

Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday launched an expanded school breakfast scheme, even as the Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) attacked the government over the search of schoolbags of students attending the launch event in Chennai.

The government renamed the flagship scheme the ‘Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme’ after Congress stalwart K Kamaraj. It was initially launched for 114,095 students studying in Classes 1 to 5 in government primary schools. It was expanded to cover students in urban areas, including corporations, municipalities and town panchayats. In June, Vijay directed that the scheme be extended to students in Classes 6 to 8.

The scheme now aims to benefit 1.53 million additional students across 15,454 government and government-aided schools

Police checked the bags of the children as they gathered ahead of the launch event. A video of the search went viral on social media.

DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai asked what the police were searching for. “Were they looking for the efficiency of the TVK [Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam] government? Even if they really search for it, they will not be able to find it,” he wrote on social media and shared the video of the search. “What cruelty this is.”

Vijay had breakfast with schoolchildren after launching the scheme. He visited classrooms and interacted with the students.

The government has earmarked ₹217.63 crore in the current financial year for the scheme and raised the overall outlay for it to ₹724 crore.

At the Chennai school, where the scheme was launched, 199 students between Classes 1 and 5 were covered under the scheme. Now, 127 students of Classes 6 to 8 would be covered. The scheme will be implemented in Chengalpattu and Tiruppur districts after the by-polls there on October 6.

The government said the expanded scheme strengthens the foundation of school education and would serve as major support for students’ educational journey and social progress.